You can’t get much more barn find than this! Reader Seth S needs to find a good home for this 1966 Buick Wildcat. It’s been parked for a long time, but he was able to get the 445 Wildcat engine running two years ago. It’s going to need the fuel system flushed and serviced, plus the usual maintenance of a find that’s been parked for years. The body looks straight and the interior is complete, so this could be a fairly easy classic to get back on the road! It’s still in this barn in Orangeville, Pennsylvania with a $4,000 asking price. If you’d love to have it, be sure to message Seth via the form below.
What Makes It Special? It’s wearing its original paint and has its original Wildcat 445 engine. No dents that I can see. The engine ran two years ago but it won’t draw gas from its own tank. Glass is good and the dash looks good. It also has the service books. Will take offers.
Body Condition: It has original paint and no noticeable dents. There are probably scratches in the paint. I have no idea what it looks like underneath.
Mechanical Condition: The engine ran two years ago but from a separate fuel tank. It’s been sitting since 1990.
In 1966, the Wildcat 445 – 401 cui Nailhead V8 was rated at 325 horsepower and 455 ft-lbs of torque. It was a great marketing strategy, as that’s an incredible amount of torque, but it had to have caused some confusion when they released the 455 cui V8 in 1970!
- Asking Price: $4,000
- Location: Orangeville, PA
- Mileage: 39,000
- Title Status: Clean
It’s hard to know exactly what it will take to get this Buick back on the street, but as long as it’s not too rusty and the drivetrain works, it shouldn’t take much. It will likely need brakes, suspension, and interior work, but a few weekends and you could have it all sorted and driveable. Plus, you’ll get the joy of extracting a real barn find and bringing it back to life! So, if you’d love to take this Wildcat, be sure to make Seth an offer via the form below.
Do you have a barn find that needs to go? Please consider listing it with us here on Barn Finds and we will help you find a good home for it!
In 1966, thought 425 was the big dog nail head, though the 401 was rated at 445 lbs/ft of torque. Nothing that year had any association with the number 455.
The 425 only came in the Electra 225 and the Rivera I had a 66 Skylark GrandSport with that same engine and in the smaller Chevelle sized body it was fast.
I don’t know Buicks that well, I’ll let you argue with these guys.
https://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10943/buick-wildcat.aspx
They did disagree with you.
“In 1966 Buick offered the GS, or Gran Sport, option which included the 425 cubic-inch V8 engine and a heavy-duty suspension. ‘GS’ emblems could be found throughout the vehicle; the rear axle was a performance unit.”
I was always surprised, as tight a**ed as GM was back in the day, and considering intermediates couldn’t have anything bigger than 400 cubic inches, that Buick got away with putting the 401 in the Skylark.
At first blush, seems like an interesting offering. I would like to see it dragged out of the barn to get an idea if the whole bottom of the car is rusted off given its location. I know… don’t disturb the dust. But really now. You have the pics of the car in its slumbering state. Please pull it out if you are serious about selling.
I am guessing this is a (4) four door?
Come On Barn Finds!!!, it would be awesome to have the bare minimum of pertinent information!!!!
If its a 4 door hardtop, then that’s a different story.
Here’s a prime example of a 66 LeSabre fully restored
I, too, think it’s a 4 door. That, and no A/C, makes it a parts car.
The engine was marketed as the Wildcat 445, not Wildcat 455. The “What Makes It Special” section identifies it correctly. Still a little misleading, but not often confused with the 455-cid V8.
Ops! Sorry for the typo, I meant 445! All fixed.
This was the Wildcat 445 in my 66 Skylark GrandSport
Is it just me or does that first photo make you want to put on your dirty old work pants and boots and climb around exploring? The thin trees in front of the garage make it all the better. Must have left the garage door open for whatever dumb reason or maybe it’s just an open front shed. That is more likely now that I look at the photo again. Nice find Josh.
I want the big Chrysler next to it!
It looks like a wild cat walked all over it!
Like playing a game of Battleship. Is it a 2 door, Miss? Must be a 4 door then, Maybe.
Who the H___ took the pictures.
I’ve said all I’m going to at this point.
Looks like they took the pictures in a way that avoided the fact that it is a 4 door. I think the question was made above, “Not sure how much or what it will take to get it back on the street?” Unfortunately as a 4 door, the answer is – WAY more than it will be worth!
What about the two other cars in the photo? Do I see a red fuselage Chrysler coupe and the blue/green car behind it?
ScottyMac, They are wrong there was a limit of 400 cubic inches on the mid size cars by GM. The only engine offered in the Skylark GrandSport was the 401 nailhead called the Wildcat 445. I know as I bought this car in 1969 and was a Buick nut. They may have put a 425 in the Wildcat as well as the 225. The Rivera GrandSport was available with a 425 with a single 4bbl or 2 4bbl configuration.
Paul,
Maybe we’re talking around each other, I don’t know. I was saying, the article was saying, the Wildcat was available with the 425 cid, not the Skylark. Can’t imagine a Wildcat with a 225 V-6, thought the 300 V-8 was the smallest for that model. Like I said, thought it was hypocritical of GM (not the first time) to have a policy to limit intermediates to 400 cid, but wink, wink, OK Buick go ahead and slide the 401 in the Skylark. Same with Shi&rolet building big block 402s, but still calling them 396s.
Considering how old the nailhead design was (early 50s) 1 cubic inch over was nothing and same with the 396 overbore to 402 what’s a few cubes between friends. People would call my Skylark a Spewick until I blew their doors off LOL. Yes we are in agreement the wildcat could be ordered with the 425 but not many were. A friend had a 65 Rivera with the 425 2x4bbl and damn it was fast for such a heavy car. BTW 1966 was the last year for that engine family my wife had a 67 GS400 totally new engine and was eventually the 455 and by far the best big block GM had at the time (1970)